Sleigh



(-No Model.)

RA. SGHAEFER. 'SLEIGHL Patented'Oot. 3,1893".

' ATTORNEYS.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRIEDERIOH AUGUST SOHAEFER, OF TRUCKEE, CALIFORNIA.

SLEIGH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 506,080, dated 0ctober3, 1893.

Application filed June 8, 1893.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRIEDERICH AUGUST SCHAEFER, of Truckee, in thecounty of Nevada and State of California, have invented anew andImproved Sleigh, ofwhich the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

The invention relates to sleighs such as shown and described in theapplication for Letters Patent of the United States, Serial No. 456,888,filed by me on December 31, 1892, and allowed March 31, 1893.

The object of the present invention is to provide certain new and usefulimprovements, whereby the sleigh can be conveniently propelled andsteered over ice and snow without danger of sinking the driving wheelstoo deep into the snow.

The invention consists of certain parts and details and combinations ofthe same, as will be hereinafter described and then pointed out in theclaims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar letters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is aside elevation of the improvement. Fig. 2 is a transversesection of part of the same. Fig. 3 is an enlarged transverse section ofpart of one of the drive wheels. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of anauxiliary runner. Fig. 5 is a like view of another auxiliary runner.Fig. 6 is a cross section of the same. Fig. 7 is a cross section of theauxiliary runner shown in Fig. 4. Fig. 8 is a plan View of one of therudders. Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the mechanism for raising andlowering the drive wheels. Fig. 10 is a side elevation of a modifiedform of runner. Fig. 11 is an inverted plan view of the same; and Fig.12 is a cross section of the same.

The improved sleigh is provided with a platform A on the under side ofwhich are secured comparativelyfiat runners B bent upward at both endsso as to permit the operator to conveniently run the sleigh forward orbackward.

On the runners B may be attached auxiliary runners B, shown in Figs. 5and 6, each being formed of a band of metal provided at one end with ahook 13 adapted to hook into a recess B formed on the forward end of therunner B, the auxiliary runner being provided at its rear end with athreaded portion Serial No. 476,514- (No model.)

B adapted to be fastened to a boss B on the rear end of the runner B.

For running over ice or hard frozen ground I provide an auxiliary runnerB shown in Figs. 4 and 7, which is made of a piece of steel set edgewiseand curved to the shape of the runner B, and attached thereto, similarto the runner B, by hooks and bolts at the end of the said runner B.Part of the sides of this runner B is flanked bylongitudinally-extending strips of wood B bolted or otherwise fastenedto the under side of the runner B.

On loose or wet snow it is necessary to have very wide runners B, (seeFigs. 10, 11 and 12) to prevent the sleigh from sinking into the snow.In order to reduce the adhesion of the wide runners B and the snow,Iprovide the under side of the same with longitudinally-extending wiresor rods B arranged parallel to each other and fastened at their ends tothe curved ends of the runners B, similar to those shown in Fig. 5.

Near the forward end of the platform A.

are erected the posts 0 each connected with a rearwardly-extending beamD provided with suitable bearings for the axle E of the drive wheels Fextending on the sides of the platform A below the runners, to engagethe snow, ice or ground. The axle E is provided in its middle with acrank arm E. adapted to be taken hold of by the operator for turning theaxle E, or connected with suitable machinery located on the platform Afor impartinga rotary motion to the said axle by power. Each of thedriving wheels F is provided with a series of spokes F from the outerends of which extend on opposite sides the brackets F and these at eachside are connected with each other by rings or circular bands F asplainly shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. Between the two rings are secured thepaddles F extending radially and preferably toothed at their outeredges, as plainly illustrated in Fig. 3. The ends of the spokes F areconnected with each other by a band or ring F which extends a suitabledistance inward from the inner edges of the paddles F so that serves toprevent the drive wheel from sinking too far into the snow. The rearends of the bars D are guided in guideways G secured on the platform A,the said guideways being 5 provided with apertures, and a pin forlocking the bars in place, as is more fully described in the applicationabove referred to. In order to raise or lower the drive wheels F, Iprovide the following device: The rear ends of the bars D arepivotally-connected with downwardly and forwardly-extending arms H eachprovided at its lower end with a friction roller H traveling on a fixedbearing I attached to the platform A. A cord or is rope J is connectedwith the arm H and extends rearwardly to carry at its rear end a handleJ which, when taken hold of by the operator and pulled, causes the armsH to swing rearwardly, the rollers 1-1 traveling on the bearings I, thusraising the bars D and consequently lifting the drive wheels F more orless out of the snow.

In order to steer the sleigh to the right or left, I provide the samenear its forward end 2 5 on opposite sides with rudders K, each curvedoutwardly, as plainly shown in Fig. 8, and held normally out of the snowuntil it is desired to steer the sleigh to one side. Each rudder K isfulcrumed at K to the side of the runner B and is curved upwardly at itsfront end to connect with a rope or cord K passing through the posts 0and guideways G to support at the rear ends, handles K under the controlof the operator, so that when a pull is exerted on the said handles, adownward swinging motion is given to the rudders, so as to move theirrear curved ends in contact with the snow or ice to steer the sleigh tothe right or left according to the left or 0 right rudder acted on bypulling the corresponding rope. A spring K connects with the rear end ofeach rudder K, the said spring being attached at its upper end to thecorresponding post 0. Thus, when the operator releases the pull on thehandle K the spring K forces the corresponding rudder back to its normalposition and out of contact with the snow'or ice, as illustrated in Fig.1'.

When it is desired to raise the front end of the sleigh 0% the snow orice, I use a set of wheels L journaled in arms L pivoted to with eachother, paddles secured between the rings, and a circular band connectingthe ends of the spokes with each other, the said band terminating asuitable distance from the inner edges of the said paddles,substantially as shown and described.

2. In a sleigh, the combination with a platform, of arms held on postsonthesaid platform, a drive wheel. journaled in the said arms, downwardlyand forwardly-extending arms pivotally connected with the said journalarms of the wheel, a frictionwheel held in the said last mentioned armsand adapted to roll on bearings fixed on the said platform, and a ropeor cord connected with the said friction wheel arms, substantially asshown and described.

3. 'A sleigh provided with main runners, auxiliary runners adapted to befastened at their ends to the said main runners, and longitudinal wiresor rods secured to the under surface of the said auxiliary runners,substantially as shown and described.

4. The combination with the main runner having a recess and boss at itsrespective ends, of the auxiliary runner having a hook and threadedportion at its respective ends, substantially as shown and described.

5. In. a sleigh, the combination with a plat form provided with runners,drive wheels held vertically adjustable on the sides of the saidplatform, curved rudders pivoted to the front ends of the said runners,a spring connected with each of the said runners, and a cord or ropeconnected with the said pivoted rudders and under the control of theoperator, substantially as shown and described.

FRIEDERIGH AUGUST SCHAEFER.

Witnesses:

JAMES SHERRITT, ORRIN BURNS.

